Airplane



1946- E. E. WALLACE 2,392,439 AIRPLANE Filed 'Aug. 27, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheefl INVENTOR.

, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 E. E. WALLACE AIRPLANE Filed Aug. 27

Jan. 8, 1946.

Jam 1946- E. E. WALLACE 2,392,433,

AIRPLANE Filed Aug. 27, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Jan. 8, 1946 l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AIRPLANE Edward E. Wallace, Cleveland Heights, Ohio Application August 27, 1942, Serial No. 456,340

2 Claims. (01. 244-50) This invention relates to an airplane, Fig. 2 is a front elevation, the landing gears be- One object of the invention is to provide an ing in inoperative position enclosed in the sponimproved airplane wherein the wing structures sons. are provided with swingable members at their Fig. 2a is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing outer ends capable of being moved downwardly, the landing gears in operative position engaging when the airplane has entered the water in maka surface other than water. v ing a landing to increase the drag, or is at rest Figs. 3, land 5 are fragmentary front elevaor in motion in water to stabilize the airplane. tional views of the sponsons, showing their sta- Another object of the invention is to provide bilizing members in different'positions. an improved airplane having means for inter- Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section on the line 6-4; cepting rolling thereof due to wave motion when of Fig. 2a (enlarged), the top wall of the sponson the airplane is at rest or in motion in water, being broken away and the fluid operating means whereby its occupants will be at case at all times. for the adjacent stabilizer being shown in sec Another object of the invention is to provide tion. an improved airplane constructed to execute on Fi s. 6a and 6b are fragmentary sections showwater relatively short radius turns where the ing certain details. forward speed of the airplane is slow or fast and Fig. '7 is a front elevational view of parts shown to control the airplane in maneuverin in water in Fig. 6, the front walls of the sponson being in small areas and where obstructions and movbroken away and the fluid operating means being able bodies are to be cleared to avoid damages. shown in section.

Another object of the invention is to provide Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section of the valve an airplane of the sesque amphibian type having when in closed position. means for effecting drag between the sponsons Figs. 9 and 10 are views similar to Fig. 3, but

and water, after the sponsons enter the water, showing the position of the valve when moved to decrease speed in landing, for facilitating taketo open position in either direction.

offs from water and provide for maneuvering 'In the drawings, l indicates as an entirety an and turning of the airplane when floating in airplane comprising a fuselage 2, wing structures water. 3 at opposite sides of the fuselage, ailerons 4, flaps Another object of the invention is to provide 4', a rudder 6, elevators l, landing gears 8 and in an airplane of the sesque amphibian type propellers 9 driven by one or more suitable mosponsons, each having at its outer end a member tors (not shown). 'In the illustrated type of air which is swingable upwardly or downwardly into plane, each wing structure consists of a wing 31': angular relation to the adjacent sponson, said and a sponson 3b, the latter being constructed members (a) when operated downwardly after to house the adjacent landing gear 8 (see Figs. the sponsons enter the water i making a landing 35 2, 6 and 7 whereby landings on and take-offs serving to efiect drag, whereby the speed of the from water may take place. In the form of airairplane is reduced and (b) when operated upplane disclosed, it is designed to have a gross wardly serving to relieve drag in making a takeweight of 400,000 pounds. The airfoil span is apoil; and either one of said member when operproximately 260 feet, the overall length approxiated'dow'nwardly being adapted to effect steering 40 m tely 185 feet and a height (when the landing of the airplane when taxiing in water. gears are in operative positionsee Fig. 2a) ap- Other objects of the invention will be apparent proximately feet; accordingly, this si'zeof airto those skilled in the art to which my invention plane makes it necessary to provide it with more relates from the following description taken in than one en '0 ch easo I have shown connection with the accompanying-drawings. 45 mounted on each airfoil 311' two prepe e It will be understood that my invention may which ay be dr i sly conn t d to one engine be applied to various typ s of seaplanes, amphibr a prop l r d en by n o or en ines;

ians or flying boats, including monoplanes, but the engine or engines also being suitably' bu ted for the purpose of illustrating one embodiment in the adjacent airfoil 3a or adjacent thereto. of the invention it is shown as applied in a sesque It Will be understwd a he pl ay be amphibian type of airplane. of any desired size and that the number of en- Fig. 1 i a plan view of an airplane embodying gines required will depend upon the size of the my inventi n, plane and other factors.

Fig.1a is a section on the line |o-|a of Fig. The p t a v efe d to. except t e spo so 2 en1arged,' 3b, may be of any desired shape and'for'm' of be of any well known construction and form no part ofthe present invention. V

The construction of the landing gears, their operating mechanisms and housing thereof form;-

the subject-matter of my co-pending application Serial No. 431,102, filed February 16, 1942.

As shown in Figs..2, 3, 4 and-5, the lower por tion of the fuselage is constructed to provide a hull l the bottom wall of which preferably'con der would be totally ineffective.

Each stabilizing member II, Ila, comprises a 'fabricated structure having an inner end wall l2 sists of inclined portions l0 extendingfrom the lateral sides or chines of the hull l0 downwardly and inwardly to the keel forming a .V-ishaped bottom. i

Each sponson 3b is fixedly related to the hull I Band is (a) provided interiorly with a compart- 'ment or chamber opening downwardly, but closed by doors 3c, 3d, 3e, to house'the adjacent landing gear 8 (see dotted linesin Fig. '7), when landing on and taking off from water and when-the plane is in flight as set forth" in my aforesaidap plication .and (-b) suitably reinforced-"and braced interiorlyin any desired'manner; The'reinforcing and bracing structure for each sponson forms no part of the presentinvention; II, Ha, indicate members pivotally mounted on'the. outer ends of. the sponsons 3b and swingable upwardly and downwardly relative thereto and arranged to stabilize the airplane when floating in water under various conditions.,-jEach stabilizing member H Ha, when in normal'posi tion, is disposed in the plane of the adjacent spon son 3b and forms'an extension thereofilsee Figs. 1, 2, 2a and 6) and co-operates therewith when the airplane'is at rest in a body of water to float and maintain it in'a'state' of equilibrium and to. counteractpshift in weight to either .side of the center of gravity of the airplane. However, when the water is rough, that is, in wave'motion, the stabilizing members 3H; Ha, may be swung downwardly; as shown inFigs; 4 and 7, the effectof which is tocounteract the wave motion and prevent undue rolling motion of the airplane. Likewise, when the airplane is making a landing, in water; and the sponsons have 'entered the water,-the stabilizing members H, 1 la, may-be swung downwardly (see Fig. 4), the effect of which is to'retard the speed of the airplane inbringing it to a state of rest. i V

When taking oil from water, the stabilizing members H, He, may. be swung upwardly, as shown in Fig.5, to reduce drag. "When'the airplane is being taxied or maneuveredin water. in

. adirection other than straight ahead, one of the 3 .to effect theturnin'g or steering operation and enables the turning to be eifected with precision.

and outer walls l3. By preference each stabilizin member has a width equal to that of the outer end of the adjacent sponson and correspondingly shaped, so that its outer walls register with the outer walls of the adjacent sponson, 312 when the adjacent stabilizing member is in normal position (see Figs. 2 and 2a); When in normal position, the members I 1, Ha, supplement the buoyancy of the sponsons 3b; 'The length of 'the'members'l I, H a, will depend upon the type of wing structure, length of wing span and other factors.- -The Walls [2 and I3 'are interiorly reinforced in any desired manner as shown in dotted lines (see Figs. 6 and 7). The end wall of each stabilizing member is pivotally connected at'its lower end to the lower side of the adjacent sponson 3b and the latter is provided with a pocket M, which closes the outer endof the sponson 3b, to accommodate the inner end of the stabilizing member when the latter is swung upwardly (see dotted lines in Fig. 7); The pocketconsists'of an inner'wall l5 suitably secured to and extending from the outer end'of the bottom-wall ofthe sponson 31) upwardly and inwardly; an upperwall [5a extending from'the upper endof theinner'wall l5 upwardly and outwardly and terminating at' the outer end of the top wall of thesponsorr 3b, being secured thereto'in any suitable manner, and end'walls [5b suitably secured to the walls l5,l 5a, and side walls of the sponson 3b; The'spaced struts-Ma: adjacent the bottom wall of each'sponsonflb are extended outwardlybeyond the wall '15 and are provided with hollow bosses in which are mounted bushings M'and spaced struts Mm of the'bottom wall of the adjacent stabilizing member extend inwardly and are provided with hollow bosses, in which are mounted'bushings 14 each in registry with and adjacent to one of the bushings 14', the bushings M, Ma, serving to support a shaft'lfi to pivotally mount the stabilizing member on the sponson 3b." i

. Operatingmeans indicated as an entirety at i! are provided for holding each stabilizing member innormal position and for moving it in either directionto'its extreme oran'y intermediate position and from any operated position at one side of its normal position to any predetermined position at the opposite side'thereof. Any "suitable means maybe" employed for operating the stabilizing members separately or together',for example, operating means such as shown' and claimed in my co-pending application filed August 22, 1942. These means include a fluid operated piston l'l connected to each' stabilizing member and mounted'i'n' a cylinder 11d having fluid and discharge connections atits opposite ends, the cylinder 11d being preferably pivcltally'mourited on a transverse shaft llb, which is supported: fon; brackets (one being shown in'Fig. 6a) The brackets We are supported on the shaft 8a; about which the adjacent landing gear 8: swings,.the

shaft 8a being supported by bracing members 8a. The supply of the fluid to and from the cylinder 11b is controlled by a valve l8 (see Figs. 8, 9 and 10). The valve I 8 is preferably normallyfheld in closed position by a spring I80, and

and disclosure thereof is not required.

It will be noted that I provide an operating means for each stabilizer II, II a, and mount the manually operated levers therefor in side by side relation in the cock-pit Ia, whereby they are v in convenient assembled relation for operation separately or simultaneously for effecting operation of either or both of the stabilizing members upwardly or downwardly, or one upwardly and the other downwardly, as desired.

From the foregoing description it will be observed that the stabilizing members may be employed advantageously under varying conditions, to operate as a brake or resistance following a landing in water, to reduce drag in takeoffs, to steer the airplane or co-act with the airplane rudder when maneuvering in water, to compensate for wave motion and wind to prevent undue rolling when at rest in water and when calm conditions exist in the water to increase the buoyancy of the sponsons.

To those skilled in the art to which my invention relates many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. My disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not to be in any sense limiting.

It will be observed that where the operating means I! is similar to that disclosed in my aforesaid co-pending application, each stabilizing member may be operated to and locked in various predetermined positions, in a ready manner.

In the preferred form of construction the stabilizing members, when in normal position, form an extension of and become parts of the sponsons to increase the buoyancy thereof and in effect form sectional sponsons to insure symmetry as well as undue drag when the airplane is in flight.

What I claim is:

1. In an airplane having a hull and wing structures at opposite sides thereof, each wing structure comprising a wing and a sponson, a closed member hingedly connected to the outer end of each sponson on an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hull and normally disposed in the plane thereof to supplement the buoyancy of said sponson and swingable vertically into an upward- 1y inclined position relative to the plane thereof and into a downwardly inclined position relative to the plane of said sponson, and means for operating each said member in either direction.

2 In an airplane having a hull and wing structures at opposite sides thereof, each wing structure comprising a wing and a sponson consisting of inner andouter sections normally disposed in end to end relation, said inner section being rigidly connected to the hull and closed at its outer end and said outer section comprising a closed member hingedly connected to the outer end of said inner section on an axis parallel to the longi- I tudinal axis of the hull and "swingable vertically into an upwardly inclined position relative to the 'means for operating each member in either direction.

- 3'. In an. airplane having a. hull and wing structures at opposite sides thereof, each wing structure comprising a wing and a sponson, a closed member related to the outer end of each sponson and normally disposed in the plane thereof to supplement the buoyancy of said sponson and hingedly connected at its lower innor end to the lower wall of said sponson on an axis transverse thereto to swing vertically into an upwardly inclined position relative to the plane of the adjacent sponson and into a downwardly inclined position relative to the plane of the adjacent sponson, each sponson being closed at its outer end by a wall shaped to form a pocketfor the upper end of said closed member when the latter is swung into an upwardly inclined position and the exterior walls of each said member, when the latter is in normal position, being arranged to coincide with the exterior walls of the adjacent sponson to form an extension of the latter, and means for swinging each said member in either direction;

4. In an airplane having a hull and wing structures at opposite sides thereof, each wing structure comprising a wing and a sponson closed at its outer end and having upper and lower walls, a closed member hingedly connected to one of said walls on an axis transverse to said sponson and swingable vertically into an upwardly inclined position relative to the plane of said sponson and into a downwardly inclined position relative to the plane of said sponson, and means for maintaining said member in the plane of said sponson and for swinging it relative thereto into said upwardly and downwardly inclined positions.

5. An airplane having a hull and wings at opposite sides of said hull and chambered sponsons for housing retractible landing gears at opposite sides of said hull, in combination with a closed combined stabilizing and maneuvering member on the outer end of each sponson normally dis-.

posed in the plane thereof and hingedly connected to said sponson on an axis transverse thereto to swing vertically into an upwardly inclined position relative to the plane of the adjacent sponson and into a downwardly inclined position relative to the plane of the adjacent sponson, and means for maintaining each said member in the plane of the adjacent sponson and for swinging it relative thereto into said upwardly and downwardly inclined positions.

6; In an airplane having a hull and wing structures at opposite sides thereof each comprising upper and lower members, one of said members at each side of the hull consisting of inner and outer sections normally disposed in end to end relation, the inner section being rigidly connected at its inner end to the hull and closed at its outer end and the outer section being hingedly connected to the outer end of said inner section on an axis transverse thereto and swingable vertically into an upwardly inclined position relative to the plane of the adjacent inner section and into a downwardly inclined position relative to the plane of the adjacent inner section, said outer section when in normal position serving to supplement the buoyancy of said wing structure and when in its downwardly in- 'clined position and the hull in contact with water, serving as a stabilizing and maneuver ing device and when inits upwardly inclinedpbj- V Isition serving to eliminate drag during take-ofis "from water, and means for operating each of said outer sections. i '7. In an airplane having a hull and wing structures at opposite sides thereof, each structure comprising'awing and a sponson, each sp'onson consisting. of inner and outer sections normally disposed in end to end relation, said inner section Joeingrigidly connected to the hull and said outer section being hingedly connected to said inner section and swingable into a downwardly inclinedposition relative to the adjacentinner sec?- tion for projection in water so that when the hull is in contact with water, it is operable as a stabilizing and maneuvering device and swingable into an upwardly inclined positionrelative to the adjacent inner section out of the water to elimi natedrag during take-ofis of the, airplane from water; and means for operating each of said outer sections.

SNAn'airpiane having a. hull; wings aticpposite sides thereof, sponsons at =opposite sides of said hull each comprising inner and outer sections normallyldisposed iii end to'end relation, the inner section being rigidly connected-to said hull'and closed. at its outer" end andthe'outer section consisting oi'a water-tight closed chambe'r'hingedlylconnected at;its inner end to the outer end of the inner spo'n'scn section and swingable vertically into an upwardly! inclined position 

